


Nightmares and Blankets

by Nyomio



Category: Final Space (Cartoon)
Genre: Comfort, Gen, HUE is a dad, Hurt/Comfort, Insomnia, Season two didn't give me and Gary/HUE interactions, So you can find the inspiration pretty well there, bite me, i wrote this at 4 am, no beta - its 4 am so you get what u get, so I'm writing my own
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-04
Updated: 2020-04-04
Packaged: 2021-02-28 23:13:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 880
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23475223
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nyomio/pseuds/Nyomio
Summary: It's three in the morning, and Gary is still awake.Well, maybe still awake is the wrong word. He had gone to sleep - if nightmares even counted as sleep. They certainly didn't leave you feeling rested, and Gary can feel it; insomnia wasn't new to him, but it never stopped being at least a little frustrating. Lucky for him, the AI aboard the ship is a little fonder of him than his programming should allow - and hey, nothing cures insomnia like warm milk, watching the stars go by, and heartfelt conversations, right?
Relationships: Gary Goodspeed & HUE
Comments: 5
Kudos: 46





	Nightmares and Blankets

“Gary, it is very late.”

“I know, HUE,” Gary practically forces out of his system with a yawn.

“You should go back to bed,” the AI’s voice radiates from the air, surrounding Gary as he goes to loiter at the table. 

“HUE, my dude, if I could sleep, I would be asleep,” Gary motions dramatically to the air, before letting his arm go limp. “Believe me, I would rather be visiting sleep town right now, but they blockaded off the entrances for at least another… I don’t know, they didn’t give me a time.”

“You know I will still wake you up at the same time tomorrow.”

“And for that, we have the sweet, delicious taste of all natural coffee.” He mutters, folding his hands up and leaning his head into it. “‘Tis what has gotten me through life, along with beautiful Goddess Quinn.”

There’s a moment as Gary crumples further into his own arms, before he lifts his head to look out the window. Space is beautiful, but it gets kind of old after four years and some change. And jesus, if he could not be given copious amounts of time alone with his thoughts, that would be fantastic. Really, truly, fantastic. 

He’s counting the days ‘til this thing ends.

“Gary, are you okay?” HUE asks, almost a little hesitantly. 

While not moving his head, he shrugs. 

“Did you have a nightmare, or have you not gotten any sleep yet?” HUE tries again.

“Do nightmares even count as sleep? Because they sure as hell don’t feel like it,” Gary retorts back with a snort. He leans forward and rests his head on his palms. 

There’s a moment of silence before a SAME shows up, carrying a blanket and a mug of warm milk. Gary gives a smile at that, even if it doesn’t quite reach his eyes. He wraps himself up in the blanket and grabs the warm milk.

“You know, HUE, this would go great with some cookies right now.”

“Don’t push it, Gary.”

Gary lets out a little snort of a laugh, before taking a sip. He sighs, sets the cup down, and looks up at the ceiling.

“Thanks, man.”

“No problem,” HUE says, and Gary goes back to staring out the window for a minute. There’s a comfortable silence as Gary sips his mug of hot milk.

Gary opens his mouth to talk, seems to hesitate, and then blurts out, “I don’t think I’ve had warm milk like this since before my Dad… you know. Feels a lot like something he would’ve done.”

There’s not an immediate response, but when HUE finally does crackle to life, he responds, “It is my job, Gary.”

“Right, right. It’s more than anyone else has done in a long time, though. As much as I hate prison food, it’s still better than what I used to conjure up. HUE, have you ever eaten salad out of a trash that someone might have thrown up in? I was desperate, man,” Gary yawns. 

“I am an AI. I do not have a mouth.”

Gary waves him away in a dismissive manner. “Count yourself lucky on that front. I almost threw up, but I was too hungry to give up any nutrition. It was right after I… well, I was an angry teenager.”

“That is not hard to imagine given your past, Gary.”

“Haha, yeah, I know.”

“What’s even harder to imagine,” HUE offered, “Is somehow someone like that grew up into the man you are now. You had every reason to become someone cold and angry, and yet... it almost seems illogical.”  
Gary raises an eyebrow, but doesn’t respond - simply takes another sip of milk. 

“What I am trying to say is that despite your flaws and your insistence that you are the captain of this ship, you did grow up into someone commendable,” HUE finishes off. 

Another sip, and then, “Well, thanks, HUE. I just wish…” Gary trails off, cutting himself off with another sip, and then another yawn.

“You really should go to bed if you are able to, Gary,” HUE prods.

Gary groans into the table, but sits up and finishes the milk. “Alright, alright, I’m going. I’ll go at least try again,”

He puts the mug in the sink and wraps the blanket tighter around himself. “You know, AI or not, you really are the most like a parental figure I’ve had in ages.”

“I’m programmed to watch over you and make sure you complete your prison sentence. In that sense, yes, I suppose I am like a guardian.”

Gary laughs a little to himself, before sighing, his shoulders sagging. “I guess I’m just trying to say - thank you, HUE, for everything. I think I would have lost my mind even freaking worse if it was just me on this ship. Or - or worse, me and KVN.”

“...You’re welcome,” HUE responds, a little hesitant. “You are the oddest prisoner I have ever had, but… I cannot say that is a bad thing.” 

Said prisoner a noise somewhere near a squeak, before composing himself with a smile that finally reaches his eyes. “You mean, captain, HUE.”

Almost seeming to choose his battles, HUE relents, “Get some sleep, Gary.”

“Will try, my man,” Gary says, before waddling into his bedroom.

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, hey!   
> I'm very tired. Apparently, the only way I know how to deal with my insomnia problems is to write fanfiction about characters going through the same thing, so... we have a Gary who ambiguously had a nightmare, but you can imagine what it was about pretty well, I think. *motions to all of Gary's problems in season one*  
> We didn't get enough HUE and Gary content in season two. I am making my own.   
> This fic is really short, but maybe I'll follow up on it later. I don't know. I just needed to hash something out to get a feel for these characters. I definitely intend to return to them later. ;^) I'm a slut for dadspeed and also hue content. hue is the best character in season one fight me


End file.
